The Master Plan

The question about my post-graduation plans has been coming up a lot recently. Now that I'm done with school everyone is curious as to what's next. Originally we were set to move back to Austin at the end of our lease in September. Then there was a change of plans on account of several different things. So, instead we will stick around for one more year to save up for our big move. Also, we're now looking to Charlotte rather than Austin. With the uncertainty of the airline industry we've decided that moving to a hub rather than a small field station would be a smarter move. Of course neither of us has ever been outside the airport in Charlotte, so this is all pending actual visitation. Although I admit it would be cool to move to a city based on the lovely landscape you experience on the final decent or on the fact that the airport has the nicest rocking chairs in the central food court area, it wouldn't be prudent.

I think it's a bittersweet decision for us. On the one hand, we've been looking forward to going back to Austin for the last year and postponing the move seems like a setback. On the other hand, we're excited to go somewhere that's new to both of us, a place we can get on with our lives and start a family together, making our own memories. So the next year will find us working lots of hours and researching our move. We'll also continue to enjoy some more desert sunsets on our balcony, which is quite possibly one of the only things we like about living out here.

Hey, I bet you were expecting me to talk about what I planned to do with that crazy BFA of mine (still pending the results of this summer school math class, of course). Well, that's a post for another time as I still don't have a definitive plan for that yet and when in doubt procrastinate, right?

Trip Report - The Motherland

Keck and I went to Puerto Rico with my parents for a week to celebrate my graduation.  We rented a beachfront condo in the Isla Verde area, close to lots of restaurants and a cockfighting arena (yikes!).  It was an exciting trip for me because it was Keck's first time to the island.  We were all very eager to show him around and as it turned out, I had tried to pack too much into a week's time.  We got to splash around in the Caribbean on Playa Flamenco in Culebra.  Keck managed to get some snorkeling done while the rest of us just chilled and waded in the clear water that washed up onto the white sand.

We also checked out the rainforest, taking a few hikes to look at the flora and explore a few (chilly) waterfalls.  Oh yeah, and we also narrowly escaped the wrath of the infamous chupacabras...yet, Keck still fails to believe.

We walked around San Juan, Ponce and San German taking in the lovely old architecture and learning about the history of the areas.  Lots of pictures were taken and museums strolled along very old (and sometimes cobbled) streets.

One big highlights of the trip for us was taking a bio bay tour off the coast of Fajardo.  The bay in one of the state parks is filled with micro-organisms that emit light when agitated (think lightening bugs but underwater).  Unwilling to risk the life of my trusty little canon elph, we left it behind on the tour and just brought back memories and totally ripped biceps from all that kayaking.

A scenic drive along the west coast, a few more dips in the ocean and lots of delicious dinners pretty much rounded out the rest of the week for us.  

Trying to non-rev back to the states, however, proved to be a not so enjoyable thing, although completely worth it.

In the end, it turned out that Keck still favors Costa Rica over Puerto Rico but I'm convinced we'll still go back and do some more touring of the west and southwest region of the island at some point in the future.  For now I'm just happy to have finally exposed Keck to the motherland.  We've had the good fortune of experiencing so many different places together but this trip was just a little different for us.  I believe his first-hand, personal experience of the sights, smells and sounds of my heritage/culture opened up a deeper understanding of me that he may not otherwise have attained.

Pigeon Problems

So here's the problem.  I'm scared of birds.  Not really the cute little hummingbirds but the terror-inducing pigeons and ducks and crows that don't seem to know they should fear humans and fly away at the very sight of us.  The other afternoon I go out on my balcony and behind our big water bottles there is a pigeon.  Of course I freak out and go running and screaming back inside to call Keck.  He tries calming me down as I explain to him that no matter how much noise I make I can't get the pigeon to fly away.  As I peer out one of my windows to check on the pigeon's whereabouts I see something that just sinks my heart like an anchor.  It's a nest.  This pigeon isn't going anywhere and through tears and sobs I try to tell Keck the balcony is now forever off limits to me as the pigeons have won.  Well, eventually I get it together enough to call in a maintenance work order (all the while wondering if pest control is really a maintenance issue).  I stop myself from declaring it an emergency, although secretly I think it is.  Eventually the maintenance guy comes the next day while we're both at work and knocks the nest off the balcony where it lands 3 floors below.  Killing the pigeon's unborn family was not exactly what I had in mind but like I said they're maintenance guys not pest control so I suppose I couldn't expect much more.  There was one more pigeon sighting that night.  She/he was perched in the exact spot where the nest had been and Keck was able to whoosh she/he away one last time.  So, in honor of that pigeon I post.  Please don't come back I have a quasi-phobia.  Thanks.